I know I have been horribly bad in writing anything new trick wise. I should be punished, but I decided seeing as the new series is starting today that I would start this little fic. Hope you enjoy.
What not to cook
Sandra was waiting for the boys, it was rear that she was the first one anywhere, but today she had managed to get out of the meeting early with Strickland and sneak off for a bit of late afternoon shopping.
Yes that's right Sandra Pullman had actually gone shopping and brought wait for it food. Yes she had decided in her infinite amount of wisdom that she as a treat for the boys would cook for them. They of course didn't know this yet she had just text Gerry and told him and the boys to meet her at the pup as soon as they had finished up. She planned to lay the surprise of her culinary exploits on them thereafter.
Taking another sip of her wine Sandra checked her watch once more, thinking that they couldn't possibly be this long, they didn't have that much to do. Starting to feel the beginnings of worry in the pit of her stomach Sandra got out her phone and saw that she had no messages. Now actually starting to wonder what could have happened to them her thumb paused over the button that would call Gerry's number. She didn't know whether it was her pride or her reluctance to know what was going on, but Sandra didn't press the button. Leaving the phone out on the table now, sitting there unassuming next to her glass of wine Sandra reached for the now half empty glass of Pinot and put it to her lips. Tilting the glass carefully she sipped at the liquid, fighting the urge to gulp the entire lot in one go. Get up from the table and run out of the pup like the Devil was on her tail. Setting the glass back down, having done none of those things, the blonde checked her watch again. It had only been five minutes since she last checked it, and only twenty minutes since Gerry had said they were on their way.
Ok Sandra thought, it's a five minute drive at best, but there could have been plenty of things happen which held them up. Brian for a start, he was not exactly good at just putting his work away and getting out of the office. The exuberant man did have a tendency to obsess and it could lead him to become one track minded. Then there was Jack, who's haste to get out of the building at times rivalled that of Gerry's, but when he got doing something he was like a dog with a bone. Sandra siled a little at the thought as her mind then wondered to the last member of her somewhat decrepit yet amazing team. Gerry now he could be holding them up in so many ways, outside having another fag, on the phone with one of his many wives or daughters. Sandra could just picture it now. Brian and Jack waiting at the door yelling at Gerry to get a move on because the Gov. was waiting.
Now picking up her wine again and still taking a reserved amount into her mouth Sandra looked down at the dark screen of her phone. She knew if anything serious was going on they would have rung, well at least one of them would have rung. Ok so maybe Strickland might ring if it was something work related. And even Emily if it was personal, or work come to that matter. It had now been over half an hour since Gerry's last message, all the thoughts of things that could have happened had managed to distract her at least for a moment, now though she thought she was well within her right to worry.
Snatching up the phone this time Sandra didn't hesitate in pushing the call button once she had found Gerry's number. Placing the handset at her ear Sandra listened for the ringing but it didn't come. Instead she got Gerry's voice mail.
"Hi this is Gerry Standing, I'm sorry I can't come to the phone right now, hopefully because I am entertaining a lady. But if you would like to leave your name and number I will get back to you as soon as I am done." Sandra hung up a look of slight disgust on her face, he had changed that since the last time she heard it. Although it was a slight improvement on him singing leave a message in the style of the Coors. She smiled however remembering how his voice rang out when she last got his voice mail.
"Go on go on leave a message, after the tone go on leave a message." Sandra found much to her embarrassment that she had started to hum the familiar tune, luckily for her there was no one close enough to hear her off key mumblings as she frowned down at her phone. Gerry wasn't answering either because he had left his phone somewhere, like his jacket pocket, or in the men's toilets again, or and this was much more likely he was driving.
Sandra decided that she would now give them five more minutes, assuming they had all just gotten in the car and that's why Gerry wasn't answering, that is how long it would take them to get here. If they did not show up she would try Jack. After that then well she would really start to worry then.
Virtually sitting watching the second hand tick round the clock, Sandra didn't notice the fact that she had not only finished her wine, but people were starting to look at her. She was not used to waiting, and being on one's own in a pup was not her idea of a good time. She now knew why she had to be late for almost everything, much better to be fashionably late than a gooseberry sat all alone with an empty glass of wine. Seeing that final tick as the fifth minute ticked passed Sandra picked up her phone and scrolled down to Jack's name. Pressing the call button she was surprised when the sound of ringing came walking in through the door.
"You! Where the hell have you guys been?" Sandra said hanging up almost immediately as Jack and Brian followed by Gerry piled into the warm pub, escaping the chill of the night air and walking up to what looked like an angry Sandra.
"We stopped off for fish and chips, none of up could be bothered with cooking tonight." Gerry said as he placed his coat over the back of his chair. Sandra threw her hands in the air and sat down heavily.
"Bloody marvellous, and now what am I supposed to do with all that food I brought." She said unable to believe she had been so worried about a bunch of geriatric old men, who had just ruined her plans for the evening, by going out and stuffing themselves with fish and chips.
"What have we done this time." Brian said still chewing on what looked like a sausage, although it was hard to tell as it went swirling around Brian's mouth. Sandra scrunched up her nose and turned her head away from Brian so she didn't lose her appetite as well.
"I think Sandra was planning on cooking dinner." Jack said with a small smirk as he went to the bar.
"Are well glad I've eaten then." Brian said without thinking as Sandra's hand connected with his chest.
"Ouch what was that for?" He asked rubbing the sore spot as Gerry just sat back and chuckled, enjoying the fact that it was for once, not him on the receiving end of the abuse for once.
"You can shut up as well, I bet it was all your idea in the first place." Sandra said turning her attention to the youngest member of her team and not liking the smile that had formed on his face, at her expense.
"Hey now that's not fair, you didn't say you were going to be cooking dinner." Gerry said moving out of range as Jack came back with the drinks. This time Sandra didn't hesitate in snatching the glass of wine off the table and draining half of it in one go.
"Well, now I have a car load of food and no one to eat it, so I tell you what, here is the notice, tomorrow night you are all invited round for dinner." The blonde smiled as Three faces turned to one another looking for support. It was however Brian who spoke up first.
"Umm can't tomorrow Sandra, I have football with my son, can't cancel you know it's kind of a standing arrangement." Brian said trying to sound apologetic, but was secretly very relieved.
"Ok fine just Jack and Gerry then." She said accepting that Brian did indeed have a family and he wanted to spend time with them, after all he did have quite a bit of it to make up.
"Sure Gov. why not, what's a bit of food poisoning in the long run." Gerry said waiting for the tosser remark that didn't come.
"I think you might be surprised, I have been practicing." Sandra said with a smile as Jack pulled a face.
"On what?" He said but before Sandra could answer Brian joined in.
"Cadavers probably." He said and the three men fell about laughing, as Sandra just sat back and scowled at them.
"Just and old bunch of tosser the lot of you." She said finishing off her wine as the laughter died down and Gerry whipped at his eyes.
"There you go I knew you wouldn't let me down." He said referring to the tosser comment which for once did make Sandra smile as she got up and asked who wanted another drink. Going to the bar she looked back at the men huddled around the table, probably discussing her, or something to do with her cooking skills, and she realised that she wouldn't have them any other way.
Ok first chapter, next time dinner at Sandra's house, but one person forgets to show up. On purpose that is. Let me know if you would like to read that and once again apologies for being rubbish with my new tricks stories. Thanks for reading XxX